Small ear of corn in a cylindrical Alka-Seltzer lidded bottle. Note inside states corn was raised by William Henry Alexander in 1861 in the Keylor Garden close to Hope School, near Kirkland in Colerain Township, during the summer he enlisted in the Union Army. Presented by Alexander's niece or nephew [Nibbis] L. Book.
Provenance
Corn in a bottle donated by niece? or nephew? Nibbis? L. Book.
Evidence of insect activity with holes, frass and missing kernels. Residue of tape adhesive on side of bottle.
Object ID
1942.007.2
Notes
The U.S. Civil War Soldier Records and Profiles has a record of a William H. Alexander, private, enlisting in Company 1, Pa. 12th Infantry Regiment on 25 Apr 1861. Mustered out on 05 Aug 1861 at Harrisburg, PA. Dates coincide.
Soil sample from White Chimneys Farm. Unfinished light-colored wood frame; mitered edges with eye bolt center of one the 6-inch ends. 1/4-inch masonite backing that is base for the framed soil. Some plant fiber and roots.
Ribbon from the 10th reunion of the veterans of the 45th Pa. Volunteers held at State College, PA on 26 September 1919. Likely attended by Blanton C. Welsh.
Provenance
Provenance: Passed down through the family, Blanton Charles Welsh to Emilie Benson (Welsh) Wiggin to Nancy Jane (Wiggin) Townsend.
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This ribbon was in an envelope which contained item numbrs #24-#31.
Credit
Courtesy of LancasterHistory, Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
Upholstered wingback commode chair has four turned Sheraton legs. Has replacement of original soiled handsewn homespun linen (remnants in this file), now an orange fabric with potted and vining flower design. Solid pinewood seat under cushion has center hole with fitted removable wooden disc.
This chair was from the Pownall home at Gap, where it was used by Dickinson Gorsuch, Maryland slaveholder, during his recovery from wounds sustained during the Christiana Riot of Sept. 11, 1851. His father and two others were killed during the skirmish at the home of freedman William Parker, and Dickinson was transported to the Pownall home for recovery. William Parker later published his story in the "Atlantic Monthly" in 1866, making it highly publicized.
This incident "is an important example of the struggle over the 1850 Fugitive Slave Act and the escalating tension between the North and the South. This act gave slave owners broad powers to recapture runaway slaves". (ExplorePAhistory.com)
Polaroid photos of chair before re-upholstery, in file.
Likely Lancaster or Chester Co.
Provenance
Provenance: Chair owned by the Pownall family & given in 1973 to the Lancaster County Historical Society by Mrs. Levi Pownall of Lancashire Hall (569-7279).
It was initially loaned to the Heritage Center (# L.77.9 and # 161.64.80) but soon donated to HCLC. Board minutes of Dec. 8, 1975 include Richard F. Smith's Museum Committee report noting a donation of a "Sheraton armed wing chair commode, used by the Pownall home in nursing Dickinson Gorsuch following Christiana Riot in 1851." Later unsigned note (Bruce Shoemaker?) states John Aungst of LCHS was consulted & chair was removed 11/9/84 from list on LCHS loan form, settling an apparent question of ownership.
1A: Wooden lift latch, 8 1/2 inches long, with 2 drilled holes in it and a cord tied through it. Written in pencil on back "Riot house door latch" .
1B: Bottom part of wooden latch, tapered, with notch in thick end to receive lift latch. 6 inches long, with two screw holes in it, mounted vertically with notch at upper end. On the back in pencil "Latch of…" covered up by a pasted-on newsclipping: "Historical Society Meeting. A number of new names proposed for membership - Christiana Relic Received. The stated October meeting of the Lancaster County Historical Society was held at the Free Library on Fri-" Paper ends there.-
Linen edging around pale red frame. Adhered to a cream colored fabric within frame are eight (4 inch x 3 inch) watercolor paintings. 5 sets of Asian men (1 enthroned in middle) and 3 sets of women in Asian dress, mostly upper class.
One of three framed by The James Buchanan Society in 1938.
Date Range
1840s
Storage Location
LancasterHistory, Lancaster, PA
Storage Room
DAC
Storage Wall
Island 5
Storage Cabinet
Unit 46
Storage Shelf
Shelf 4
Object Name
Picture
Object Names
Paintings of Asian Men and Women
Material
Fabric, Wood
Height (cm)
46.6725
Height (ft)
1.53125
Height (in)
18.375
Width (cm)
50.8
Width (ft)
1.6666666667
Width (in)
20
Condition
Fair
Condition Date
2000-08-10
Object ID
W.1938.004.003
Notes
Painted Asian people on small oblongs of bamboo pith. They are painted with heated paint with a small brush (perhaps only two or three hairs). The heated paint on the bamboo gives the raised effect that looks like embroidery.
A: (Cup) Purple transfer print with inside border. There's an Asian scene on the bottom center of cup with two people in the left foreground and a man on an elephant is behind them on the right. Water with buildings and mountains in background. On the exterior border: 2 scenes, both the same, with elephant, rider and two men standing in front of the elephant. Floral border on bottom outside edge. Stickers on back: "SD/#50" and "H 268."
B: (Saucer) Top edge is bordered with three scenes, all the same, with elephant, rider and two men standing in front of the elephant. Center is edged in floral print around scene with two people in the left foreground and a man on an elephant is behind them on the right. Water with buildings and mountains in background.
A: (Cup) Purple transfer print with inside border. There's an Asian scene on the bottom center of cup with two people in the left foreground and a man on an elephant is behind them on the right. Water with buildings and mountains in background. On the exterior border: 2 scenes, both the same, with elephant, rider and two men standing in front of the elephant. Floral border on bottom outside edge. Sticker on back: "SD/#50."
B: (Saucer) Top edge is bordered with three scenes, all the same, with elephant, rider and two men standing in front of the elephant. Center is edged in floral print around scene with two people in the left foreground and a man on an elephant is behind them on the right. Water with buildings and mountains in background.
A: (Cup) Purple transfer print with inside border. There's an Asian scene on the bottom center of cup with two people in the left foreground and a man on an elephant is behind them on the right. Water with buildings and mountains in background. On the exterior border: 2 scenes, both the same, with elephant, rider and two men standing in front of the elephant. Floral border on bottom outside edge. Sticker on back: "SD/#50."
B: (Saucer) Top edge is bordered with three scenes, all the same, with elephant, rider and two men standing in front of the elephant. Center is edged in floral print around scene with two people in the left foreground and a man on an elephant is behind them on the right. Water with buildings and mountains in background.
